Ink jet recording head and manufacturing method of ink jet recording head

Abstract

An ink jet recording head includes a substrate provided with an energy generating element to generate energy used for discharging ink, a discharge port through which the ink is discharged, a supply port for supplying the ink, and an ink path formed on the substrate for making the discharge port and the supply port communicate with each other, wherein wall members forming the ink path are made of an inorganic material, and a space between adjacent ink paths is filled up by a metal layer.

1. A manufacturing method of an ink jet recording head including a substrate provided with energy generating elements to generate energy used for discharging ink, discharge ports from which the ink is discharged, a supply port formed in the substrate for supplying the ink, and ink paths formed on the substrate to make the discharge ports and the supply port communicate with each other, said method comprising the steps of:
 forming shapes of the ink paths on the substrate with a soluble material; 
 coating the shapes with an inorganic material to form a coated layer to be wall members of the ink paths; 
 forming an undercoat layer for performing plating so as to cover the coated layer after performing said step of forming the coated layer; 
 plating using the undercoat layer to form metal between the wall members of adjoining ink paths; 
 forming the discharge ports in the coated layer; 
 forming supply ports in the substrate; 
 removing the undercoat layer on the shapes; and 
 removing the shapes. 
 
     
     
       2. The manufacturing method of an ink jet recording head according to  claim 1 , wherein the coated layer is formed by CVD. 
     
     
       3. The manufacturing method of an ink jet recording head according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 flattening a surface in which the discharge ports are formed. 
 
     
     
       4. The manufacturing method of an ink jet recording head according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a driver for driving the energy generating elements,
 said method further comprising the steps of: 
 forming a through-hole at a part of the coated layer where the coated layer contacts the substrate before the step of forming the undercoat layer; and 
 contacting a part of the undercoat layer with the driver through the through-hole at the same time as forming the undercoat layer.